There is hereby created in the New Jersey Department of Agriculture the New Jersey Apple Industry Council to consist of 9 members of whom 7 shall be growers of apples, 1 shall be a representative of the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station recommended by the director thereof, and the Secretary of Agriculture or his designee. Grower members of the council shall be appointed by the State Board of Agriculture for a term of 3 years except that for the first appointees 3 shall be appointed for a term of 3 years, 2 shall be appointed for a term of 2 years and 2 shall be appointed for a term of 1 year, as shall be designated by the State Board. There shall be appointed 1 grower member resident of each of the 3 principal apple growing counties as determined by the New Jersey Crop Reporting Service and 2 grower members resident of counties located in Southern New Jersey and 2 grower members resident of counties located in Northern New Jersey. For the purposes of this act the boundary dividing the counties of Ocean and Burlington from the counties lying to the north shall be the dividing line between Northern and Southern New Jersey.

Grower members of the council shall be appointed from nominations made by, and filed with the State Board by, the directors of the New Jersey Apple Institute and the New Jersey State Horticultural Society meeting in joint session. At least 2 nominations shall be made for each appointment to be made.

Each member shall hold office after the expiration of his term until his successor shall be duly appointed and qualified. Vacancies in the membership of the council, however created, shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment for the unexpired term only. If for any reason the list required by this section is not submitted within 30 days after the effective date of this act or after the existence of a vacancy however caused, the State Board shall appoint qualified persons to those vacancies.

L.1959, c. 80, p. 203, s. 11.